Image of the month. What is the etiology of these ulcers?
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Child, Preschool↗
Biomedical subjects
J Bezerra
Publications and source records attributed to J Bezerra.
Molecular and enzymatic analyses of lysosomal acid lipase in cholesteryl ester storage disease.
Human lysosomal acid lipase (hLAL) is essential for the hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides in the lysosome. Defective hLAL activity leads to two autosomal recessive traits, Wolman disease (WD) or cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD). Phenotypically, WD has accumulation of both triglycerides and cholesteryl esters, while CESD has mainly elevated cholesteryl esters. We characterized mutations in the hLAL gene from two CESD siblings. By reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) and cDNA cloning and sequencing, we identified homozygous deletion mutations of nucleotides 863 to 934, in the hLAL transcript. Normal levels of LAL mRNA were detected. The deletion in mRNA is due to a G to A transition in the last nucleotide of exon 8 of the hLAL gene, a splice junction mutation (E8SJM) that resulted in exon skipping, and a predicted in-frame deletion of the 24 amino acids. [35S]Met metabolic labeling studies in fibroblasts showed a low level of E8SJM LAL ( approximately 38%) that was highly unstable. Heterologous expression of E8SJM LAL in insect cells gave an LAL with low catalytic activity toward cholesteryl oleate and triolein. The effects of this mutation are complex with the production of decreased amounts of an unstable LAL that is catalytically defective. The results suggest that E8SJM leads to essentially a null allele and that the differences in WD and CESD phenotype involve other factors.
Animals↗
Age-related changes in sucrase and lactase activity in the small intestine of 3- and 10-week-old obese mice (C57BL/6Jobob).
The relationship between obesity and the digestion of carbohydrates is poorly understood. Data in humans have provided conflicting results. Studies using the obese mouse (C57BL/6Jobob) suggest that obesity is associated with increased activity of intestinal alpha-disaccharidases. To evaluate the developmental pattern of these enzyme activities in obesity, we determined the activity of sucrase and lactase in the small intestine of genetically obese mice (C57BL/6Jobob) and lean littermates at 3 and 10 weeks of age. Sucrase and lactase activities were measured on intestinal homogenates from segments of the small intestine in mice maintained on standard laboratory diets during the postweaning period. Results were expressed as specific activity and total activity per intestinal segment. Obese mice did not differ from lean littermates in body weight at 3 weeks of age, but exhibited increased protein content in the proximal small intestine. Sucrase specific activity was significantly higher in the obese mice at 3 weeks of age in all intestinal segments. Sucrase total activity showed a similar pattern. At 10 weeks of age, body weights of obese mice were substantially greater than the lean littermates. Sucrase specific and total activities were also greater in the obese mice at 10 weeks of age. Lactase specific activity, however, was similar in both obese and lean mice at both ages studied. Lactase total activity was greater in the obese mice, consistent with their greater intestinal mass. These observations demonstrate that changes in the intestinal sucrase activity of the obese mouse precede the development of excessive body weight.
Age Factors↗
Chronic effects of an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (Bay o 1248) on intestinal disaccharidase activity in normal and diabetic mice.
Bay o 1248 is a potent alpha-glycosidase inhibitor that reduces postprandial hyperglycemia when administered p.o. with sucrose or maltose. The compound binds to and competitively inhibits the alpha-disaccharidases and is also readily absorbed across the intestinal mucosa. To evaluate its effect on the activity of disaccharidases and on metabolic control, groups of obese diabetic mice (C57BLKsJ db/db) were given the drug for periods of 3, 7 and 84 days as a drug food mixture (5 or 10 mg/100 g of food). Nondiabetic mice of the same strain were dosed for 3 and 7 days. The drug did not influence body growth, food intake or fasting blood glucose. However, urine glucose excretion was significantly decreased at the higher dose in the diabetic mice. The drug had no effect on the protein content of jejunum (proximal and middle thirds) or ileum (distal third) of the small intestine. The activity of sucrase and maltase was significantly decreased in practically all segments of the small intestine in both diabetic and nondiabetic mice. These changes were evident after 3 days of drug administration. Lactase was not affected by the drug. The mechanism underlying these changes, although unclear, is of significant interest and deserves further investigation.
1-Deoxynojirimycin↗
Effect of a high-dextrose diet on sucrase and lactase activity in jejunum of obese mice (C57BL/6J obob).
The activities of intestinal disaccharidases are known to be responsive to changes in the dietary intake of carbohydrates in the adult rat. Little is known, however, regarding the activities of these enzymes in obese subjects and how they are affected by differing carbohydrate intakes. To evaluate the effect of carbohydrate intake on the activity of intestinal disaccharidases in obesity, we used the genetically obese mouse C57BL/6J obob as an experimental model. Representing an example of early-onset obesity and mature-onset diabetes, this animal is characteristically hyperinsulinemic and hyperglycemic. Groups of obese mice and lean littermates were fed for 7 weeks equal amounts of either high-dextrose or low-dextrose isoenergetic diets. Sucrase, maltase, and lactase activities were measured on intestinal homogenates from the proximal and middle portions of the jejunoileum (upper and lower jejunum). Results were expressed as activity per tissue protein as well as total activity. Obese mice were found to have consistently greater total activity of both sucrase and maltase than their lean littermates, mostly as a result of increased intestinal size. Total lactase activity, however, was similar in the upper jejunum in both obese and lean mice, largely related to a decreased specific activity in obese mice. All mice fed the high-dextrose diet had significantly increased total activity of all disaccharidases studied when compared to the low-dextrose-fed animals, except for the lactase activity in the lower jejunum, where no differences were found in either group. Increases in activity related to high carbohydrate intake were a result of increases in specific activity.
Animals↗
Concentric bodies in two species of he loculoascomycetes.
Concentric bodies were found in vegetative and pycnidial cells of Podoxythium tricothecium and in ascostromal paraphyses of Rhytidhysterium rufulum, two representatives of the Loculoascomycetes. They averages 185 nm in diameter in P. trichothecium and 255 nm in R. rufulum and consisted of three zones.
Ascomycota↗
Effect of diet on intestinal and pancreatic enzyme activities in the pig.
Intestinal and pancreatic enzyme activities are known to respond to changes in dietary composition. Studies in rats and humans suggest that adaptive mechanisms differ between species in response to altered intakes of carbohydrate and fat. Because of increased use of the pig in the study of human nutrition, we compared the responses of pancreatic enzymes and intestinal disaccharidases in groups of 7- to 10-week-old pigs fed either high-carbohydrate/low-fat (70 cal% starch, 25% protein, 5% fat) or low-carbohydrate/high-fat (5, 25, 70%, respectively) diets for 7 and 30 days. No changes were observed in the activities for lactase, trypsin, or chymotrypsin or in the tissue protein concentrations, regardless of diet duration. High-carbohydrate/low-fat intake resulted in higher specific activities of sucrase, maltase, and amylase for both periods studied. Low-carbohydrate/high-fat intake resulted in higher specific activities of pancreatic lipase for both periods studied. The response of the intestinal disaccharidases differs from that observed previously in rodents but resembles the response reported in humans. Conversely, amylase and lipase responded similarly to the pattern in the rat. These data support the continued use of the pig as a suitable model in the study of adaptation to altered intakes of carbohydrate and fat.
Animals↗